RomaHeta: Perfect Chaos
by liondancer17
Summary: To achieve his goals, the Error needs two, pure nations. The Italys are free, but what if there are more in plain sight? A continuation of RomaHeta.
1. 2 Peter 2:19

A/N

For returning readers, I am doing a reboot of this to up quality.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned this stuff. I just own the Holy Twins Designs.

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><p>Matthew gritted his teeth together, drawing in quick, shallow breaths. He clutched one arm, his body hunched over slightly. His violet eyes were narrowed in outrage, anger at losing.<p>

Alfred mirrored his twin's pose almost exactly, down to the cold, empty eyes.

It was sickeningly ironic, since Alfred once describes Matthew as "looking into a mirror."

Alfred had been the one who decided to fight Matthew. The others were taking care of the monsters, almost peripheral things to Matthew. Trivial, like paying mind to flies. Francis and Arthur were still unconscious; Gilbert, Yao, and Ludwig were fighting one set while Ivan and Natalya battled another. Antonio, Lovino, and Feliciano were fending off the last set.

But Alfred was fighting his brother.

A sudden presence made itself known behind Matthew, and shivers crawled down the northern nation's spine. The violet-eyed boy pulled his lips into a tight, dangerous smile, almost channeling Ivan, in a sick way. He pulled himself into a standing position, and spread out his arms in a welcoming gesture. The pistol, _Alfred's _favourite weapon, (Matthew sneered at that.) fell from his hand, hitting the ground with a light, metallic thud.

"You don't have to fight us, you know." The Error said. He stood behind Matthew, his deep red eyes gleaming in the blinding light, tone eternally passive. "We are so close to our goal, and all we need is another hand. I already have one...but I need two."

Matthew only smiled. What was the use of objecting to being a tool of perfection? He was used to being a puppet. That was his life.

It always would be.

"What are you talking about?" Alfred snapped. His sapphire eyes narrowed in anger, teeth gritting in an animalistic way. "You're hurting people! Feliciano almost _died_ because of you!" He fired rapidly, aiming at the Error. The program, blurring into pixels as he moved, drew his katana and appeared before the weakened nation, smiling dangerously at him. He pressed the blade to Alfred's neck, and the nation glared at the Error, his eyes blazing with intense anger. It was the kind of anger one would never think they could see from such a cheerful nation.

But that was Alfred. More concerned with others than himself.

Foolish boy.

"I wouldn't attack now, if I were you. I made you and offer for power, and you refused. How…sad." The Error purred. He calmly put away the sword, and took a step back. He gave a deep, polite bow, and then he began to vanish, dissolving into data before Alfred's eyes. Not only that, but the other monsters began to disappear as well, drawing the other nation's attention to the sight before them.

"Matthew!" Alfred yelled, getting to his feet. He sprinted forward, and his pistol clattered to the floor. He was completely unarmed, weakened, and yet he sprinted to the enemy. Matthew turned, not even looking surprised. The American's arms were outstretched, desperate…

"I already told you, I will defeat you and become noticed. I don't like playing dirty, though, so leave." Matthew said. Alfred stood, horror written across his face. Something flashed in Matthew's eyes. It wasn't any kind emotion, not pity, regret, or sympathy. It was something much darker, almost like what Alfred had seen when Natalya saved him.

In a flash of light, they had vanished. Alfred raised his arm and shielded his eyes. He heard the sound of the others approaching.

There was a soft, almost muted clink, and he saw something at his feet. It was a small pocket watch, with a strange star on it, eight pointed, with an eye in the center. He picked it up, turning it over in his fingers.

It was so beautiful, the most finely tooled piece of art he had ever seen…something right out of a fantasy…just…so pretty…

"Alfred! Are you alright?" Feliciano asked. Alfred spun around, and flashed a smile at the Italian, giving his signature thumbs-up.

"I'm fine, Feli! We're really lucky that we did it! And I'm so glad to see you awake!" Alfred exclaimed back. The other nations also approached him, all seeming fine, save for Francis and Arthur, who had to be carried.

"We should just head back, aru. We need to heal ourselves and come up with a plan to stop the Error." Yao said. With that, they all began to walk back. What was the point of objecting? They had no better plan, anyway.

But something wasn't quite right. There was a need, a feeling whispering in the back of America's mind. It wanted him to do something, to fight for him. He rubbed him thumb over the cool metal of the watch, feeling the rigid edges of the surface, the circular motion comforting.

Everything always moved in circles, like the motion of a clock. The thought was nice, wasn't it?

* * *

><p>The next day, Arthur and Francis had recovered. They had only been infected by the virus for a short amount of time, so it didn't leave any lasting damage, thankfully. Magic was the only real thing they had against the Error, so they needed every ounce of it they could get.<p>

Kiku had returned to the virtual world, and Im Yong Soo had left to help with programming further weapons, since all the enemies had fled. They were now all gathered around the table, discussing new tactics. Eduard and Im Yong Soo occasionally cut in, but for the most part it was just them.

"We have to be on our guard more than ever. Feliciano, Lovino, and Ivan aren't on the Error's side any more, and destroying the alter did nothing. He is bound to be looking for a new target now, and we have no idea how powerful he truly is." Kiku said. He was looking down at the table, his arms crossed. His eyes were narrowed slightly, and his eyebrows were knit together. If he was showing this much emotion, he was clearly very angry with himself…

"He already tried that with Arthur and Francis, but it didn't work. He could be trying to do something else, but just distracting us, _da_?" Ivan asked. Kiku shook his head.

"No…that's not the way the Error likes to work. His favourite tactic seems to be controlling us. He's bound to have plans for us." Kiku replied. _'Just like a manga novel...'_

"But which one of us would he pick? He already tried myself and Arthur, and that didn't work." Francis asked. Gilbert snickered.

"Francis, no offense, but do you remember what Kiku said? The Error affects a person the most when they're _pure_. You're nowhere close!" Gilbert said, digging his elbow into the Frenchman's ribs. Francis shot him a glare, but his eyes were alight with laughter.

"Just because you're jealous that I can get more than you-" Francis started, but Arthur cut him off.

"Hey! We're in the middle of a bloody meeting here; don't talk about things like that!" Arthur snapped. Antonio started laughing.

"And how did you know he was talking about _that_? For all you know, he could have been talking about dates!" Antonio snickered. Arthur's face turned red, and Gilbert almost died laughing.

"Shut up, tomato bastard! You can act like an idiot later, let's get this done!" Romano barked, pounding his fist on the table. Antonio immediately stopped laughing, and Ludwig cleared his throat.

"Ahem…as Kiku was _trying _to say, we need to try to anticipate the Error's plans, and try to stop him. If we can get Matthew back, we might be able to defeat the Error and get home."

"But what if we can't get Matthew back? What if the Error infects someone else?" Feliciano asked, trembling slightly in his seat. Kiku sighed.

"Then we have to win them both back. We can't the Error accomplish his goals…whatever they are. We must find a way to get home." Kiku replied.

"_Aniki_! Guess what, I have a great surprise for you, _da-ze_!" Im Yong Soo exclaimed. The entire room jumped, and Yao made a face. Finally, he decided to ask.

"What is it, aru?" he asked.

"Do you remember those special attacks I made you all, _da-ze_? Well, my new _aniki_ Eduard and I decided to see if we could help you all out more! So, we spent all night making up different powers for you all, _da-ze_! I even found a way to recover what little data we have from the alter fight, and I was able to store the attack _'Rosario Impale_' on a rosary for Romano! Go look, _da-ze_! It's just outside! Hehe…sorry I couldn't just use it on you like before, but your home has a lot of security…my other _aniki _Kiku sure did a good job, _da-ze_!" Im Yong Soo chirped. He was talking very fast and was obviously very excited. Romano's eyebrows furrowed, he wasn't sure what _'Rosario Impale_' was, but it sounded powerful…

Being useful…would be nice…

"I'll go get it! This is so amazing; you're so awesome Yong Soo!" Alfred exclaimed. He shot up, and ran out of the door at typical full-speed. Ivan leaned back in his seat.

"You were able to get data on the alter? Did you find out any more information on what infected the Italys?" Kiku asked. There was silence on Yong Soo's end for a moment, and then he spoke up.

"Yes, I was able to get the code used for infecting them, _da-ze._ It's a program I haven't seen before, and the encrypting is very complex…I haven't really been able to work out the patterns in it yet. Everytime I think I'm on the verge of finding something, I run into a new string of viruses stored inside, and everything crashes again. I also found out…" his voice trailed off, and Ludwig stood up.

"What is it? What did you find out?" he snapped. Yong Soo started again, his voice trembling slightly.

"The program isn't gone, _da-ze_. It wasn't destroyed with the alter. In fact, I found traces of it in your area. I mean, it isn't at full power, chunks of its data are gone, but…the traces are still there." Yong Soo finally said. Arthur's eyes widened in horror.

"So…there's a possibility one of us could be controlled by it?" he asked. He didn't wait for an answer. He stood up, glancing at the ceiling, as if he was expecting Yong Soo to see him.

"Where is that code? Where did you send Alfred? Is he alright?" Arthur demanded. The other nations' eyes began widening in comprehension. No. _No._

"_Mon dieu_…the Error is after the twins!" Francis yelled, his chair falling as he stood up. "It's just like what Kiku said, the Error strikes pure nations! Ivan and the Italys didn't work, so he's going after nations who are just as pure as them!"

"He's looking for two nations to drag in with him…" Ivan said softly. "And he's going after two of the strongest nations in the world…"

For just a moment, there was nothing but the dawning horror of what their blindness had caused.

"We have to stop him!" Arthur snapped. He ran out the door, sprinting as fast as he could. The others followed. He ran straight ahead, right to the place where they fought Matthew. Right where the firewall around their home ended.

Alfred was standing there. By his feet were the items that Im Yong Soo had sent, the little treasure-chests containing their new powers. He was holding Romano's rosary, watching the sun glitter off of it. Arthur stopped running, and began to slowly approach him.

Everything would be fine.

"Alfred…are you alright?" Arthur asked slowly. Alfred turned, looking at Arthur. He was smiling, the same wide, goofy grin he always wore.

"Yeah…I'm fine, why?" he asked. Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. Alfred walked forward, still holding the rosary.

"You know…I have no idea why Romano wears this. There's no point to it." Alfred said, his voice soft as his violet eyes focused on the silver cross. Arthur blinked. The other nations were now approaching. Romano, hearing this, got angry.

"What do you mean, hamburger bastard!" he yelled. Alfred shrugged, threading his fingers through the dark beads.

"I mean, there's no point in wearing a cross. Christianity isn't right, anyway. God doesn't interfere with the universe; it's perfect as it is." He replied. The smile had fallen from his face, and his eyes glittered as he held the cross in the dying light.

"God is a clockmaker. He created the universe to be perfect, and he watches over us with a just hand. We are his creations, but he doesn't play a part."

The shadows stretched from the American's feet, swallowing everything they touched.

"Alfred, what are you talking about? What does this have to do with anything?" Kiku asked. Alfred shrugged. Then he pinched the cross between his fingers, snapping it in half.

"You bastard! What the hell, that was mine!" Romano yelled, clenching his fists.

Alfred didn't reply. Instead, he reached into his pocket and drew out a watch. The carefully-tooled silver rested in his palm. It looked unnatural, and it almost seemed to be giving up a light of its own.

"Alfred's been infected. We have to destroy the watch; it's the thing connecting him to the Error." Ludwig whispered, beginning to crouch into a battle stance.

There was a sudden, brilliant flash of light. A figure stepped out of it, Matthew. The northern nation calmly went to stand beside his brother. Ludwig noticed that the Error wasn't with him this time, and that the nation didn't seem angry either. If anything, he seemed almost cold…just like how the Italys were when they destroyed the alter.

"I'm sorry, but we need it. You've already destroyed the alter, we can't allow you to anger God further. You're trying to destroy his perfect universe, and we can't let you do that." Matthew said.

"_Verdammt, _destroy it! It's going to drain them!" Gilbert snapped. Vash, without a word, shot at the tint watch. Matthew calmly raised his hand, and a spell circle appeared before them, shielding his brother from the bullets.

Matthew smiled.

"You still don't understand. We have to show you the power of God, and punish you in his name." Alfred whispered. He raised his hands, cupping them before him. The watch burned a brilliant, beautiful blue. It was almost white, and it was filled with the raw essence of God. The air seemed to burn, crackling with pure, untamed power.

"_Sheisse…_I didn't think we'd have to fight them…" Gilbert hissed. He shielded his face with his arm, his scarlet eyes narrowed against the data. Finally, the light died down.

The twins were standing there, cloaked in light. A dark, midnight, victorian coat cloaked Alfred, dancing in the light. Under it was a dark blue dress suit, modeled after the 1800's. Clocks and gear patterns decorated it, and his pocket watch floated in one hand, dancing in the dying light. Matthew stood beside him, dressed in a mirrored, scarlet Victorian suit, and carrying an elaborate rifle. Light itself seemed to seep from them, the power of the program that twisted them, and the power of the justice they wanted the other nations to feel.

"You will learn the power of the perfect universe." Matthew said. He rested the rifle on his shoulder, holding out one hand. Alfred stretched out the hand holding the pocket watch, which began to glow white.

"_Divine Justice."_ They both said.

There was a beautiful, brilliant blast of power, and the world was engulfed in white.

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><p>AN

Enjooooy!


	2. Romans 8:21

A/N

And the second chapter. Please enjoy. I own nothing.

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><p>"So, this is the altar, then?" Feliciano asked, his eyes transfixed on the holy ground, looking at nothing but it.<p>

It unnerved Ludwig. He supposed it was only natural that Feliciano seemed at home in a church. After all, his country did contain Vatican City, which held the pope, and he was the most religious country in the world, but…

But…he still couldn't shake the unnerving sense of dread that crept over him. Beside him, Roderich gripped the bow tighter in his hands. Antonio's eyes never left Romano, who was drifting up and down the aisles, his hands brushing against the wooden seats. Romano was gazing up at the windows and ceilings, for once never saying a word, merely taking in the scenery.

"Taking them here was a bad idea. We have to go." Gilbert said. His eyes were trained on Feliciano, who was flipping through a bible. His lips moved occasionally, reciting verses in Italian, ones Ludwig couldn't understand.

"No…you remember what Kiku said. The program is gone; we just need to recover any data left here. They'll be fine, it's been removed." Roderich said. But he sounded more as if he was convincing himself. "Besides, they deserve to know what happened." The pianist walked up to the altar, setting his violin and bow on the nearby organ. He began sifting through the rubble of the destroyed altar, searching for something, anything he could use as a means of testing the program. Then he spotted gleaming gold under the wood.

"Ludwig! Gilbert! Look at this!" he called out. The other two Germanic countries immediately went to Roderich's side, the other three Mediterranean nations following soon after. Roderich retrieved a gleaming golden dish, brushing the burnt rubble off of it.

"It's a collection plate. For offerings." Gilbert observed. He took it from Roderich, and began inspecting it. "There's nothing really special about it. It's just a decoration."

"But how did it stay intact? Everything else was destroyed. The wine cup, the cross, everything." Antonio asked. Gilbert shrugged, turning it over in his hands once more.

"Maybe it's just the material it's made from. It's not real gold, and the cup was tin, and the cross was wood." He suggested. He passed the plate to Feliciano, who began turning it around in his hands, reading the bible verse on the side.

"_Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it._ _Proverbs 3:27_." Feliciano read. He fell silent, and continued looking at the plate.

"Maybe it has something programmed in it. It wouldn't hurt to try." Antonio suggested. Feliciano stopped turning the plate.

"Are you sure it's a good idea? It doesn't belong to us…it belongs to the church." He replied. Something flashed behind Romano's eyes, and that same horrible sense of dread crashed over Ludwig.

"Positive. Don't worry, no one will miss it." Roderich said in a clipped tone. He took the plate from Feliciano and handed it to Gilbert, and then he picked up his violin and began leaving. Antonio began jogging after him, and Gilbert also followed.

Feliciano and Romano didn't move.

"Come on, we have to go. The others are waiting for us." Ludwig called out after them. He half-turned on his heel and he took a few steps toward the altar. Something once again flashed in Romano's eyes, and he seemed to stand closer to his brother, almost in a protective stance. For a moment, there was silence. Roderich placed his violin under his chin, his bow hovering above the strings. Gilbert's hand was just above the handle of his blade. The tension was stifling, and Ludwig could only wait.

"I'm sorry, Ludwig! I was just distracted, that's all!" Feliciano chimed. Romano blinked, seeming to snap out of something. His scowl immediately returned, and he stomped away from the altar, narrowly avoiding an attempt at being hugged by Antonio. Feliciano sprinted after, catching up with Ludwig.

"So what is Kiku going to do to that plate, anyway?"

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><p>The Briton yawned, dropping his head into his arms. He was exhausted. After the twins had retreated again, they had all gone back to the safe house to rest until the next day. Roderich, Ludwig, Antonio, and the Italys decided to check out the altar and find out any information on it, while Lili, Vash, and Yao decided to head to Ivan's house. Ivan himself, Arthur, and Francis stayed behind, all still recovering from being infected. Natalya stayed with them as well, refusing to leave her brother's side, never speaking, only staring into space, even when her brother spoke to her.<p>

Arthur was still exhausted from overusing Britannia's power yesterday. His body hadn't had enough time to recover at that point, so he had slept most of the day. Francis, though, seemed to be just fine. He even tried to hit on Natalya, whose hand kept twitching toward her knives the entire time.

But, for the most part, the day had been very quiet. Kiku had vanished back to the real world to try and manage things from that side, and to give Im Yong Soo a break. Natalya stayed in the main room, waiting, and ignoring Francis, who alternated between trying to talk to Natalya and sleeping. Even if Francis seemed to be fine, he still needed to let his program stabilize itself. Ivan slept in the whole day as well. Even if he was fine, he had been controlled for a very long time, and he had to get used to the virtual world without the Error feeding him its power.

Yao's group was the first to return. They met no resistance, not even any monsters. They also found nothing of any real importance; it was just as they had left it.

"Maybe we'll find more if Mr. Ivan and Ms. Natalya go with us?" Lili suggested. Vash seemed to switch into overprotective-brother mode at the very idea, but Yao agreed heartily. Natalya, though, didn't like it.

"My brother still needs to rest, and I do _not _want to go back to...where..._he _left." She argued, speaking for the first time in a while.

"But wouldn't it help him get used to this world faster if he went with us, aru?" Yao pointed out. She opened her mouth to argue back, but Ivan interrupted.

"_Systra_, he has a point. I will go with him next time, and you can come too. After all, we know that house better, da?" he suggested. Natalya bit her lip, but didn't argue with Ivan.

She looked out the window again, into the night sky.

Ludwig's group arrived much later, after all of the commotion had died down to a simmer. They brought with them a collection plate from the altar, but nothing else new. Kiku materialized into the virtual world, and collected the plate. Ludwig also murmured something to him, but Arthur didn't catch it.

By the slight widening of Kiku's eyes, though, it must have been very important. The Japanese man stayed just long enough to explain that he was going to examine the data stored in the plate, and then he left.

He had really made a habit of not explaining things fully until they were really required to know. It was honestly beginning to grate on Arthur's nerves.

He went downstairs and stayed just long enough for dinner, before retreating back to the bedroom. He wasn't as tired as he had been before, he should be able to use his power properly the next day.

Just as he was ready to go to sleep once more, he heard a knocking on the door frame. A familiar silhouette appeared, one he really wasn't in the mood to see.

"_Angleterre_, are you still awake?" Francis asked. Arthur blinked. Francis had called him by his country name, something he only used on serious occasions.

"Yes. Come in." he replied. Francis walked in, sitting himself on a chair nearby, and turning on the lights as he did so. He folded his hands across his lap, and watched Arthur with an even expression.

"Are you okay, Arthur? You haven't really come out of your little hiding spot the entire day, and it is beginning to worry me." Francis started. Arthur blinked, confused.

"Yes, I'm fine." He replied curtly. He really wasn't in the mood for the frog. A small smile touched the Frenchman's face.

"You are a strong nation, Arthur. No one can deny that, but you aren't as strong as you believe yourself to be. You can't be afraid to ask for help. We are all ready to help you if you need it." Francis continued. Arthur opened his mouth to argue, but Francis raised his hand dismissively, and continued.

"No one can possibly get over something like…_that_ so quickly. We all saw how much it pained you, and you seem to want to lock everyone out. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help from anyone." He finished. He gave Arthur an expectant look, waiting for the other's reply. Finally, Arthur glared at him.

"Is that what you think I'm doing? Stupid frog, I'm just recovering my strength. Leave. I need my rest." He replied. His voice was edged with steel. Francis had called him weak. _No one_ implies that. Ever.

"As you wish. I'm only making a suggestion, and I really hoped you would take it." Francis said, standing up. As he was turning to leave, Arthur picked up a spell book and hurled it at Francis, striking him between the shoulder blades. Francis spun around, and Arthur glared at him.

"If you _ever_ try to talk to me about _them,_ I will do more than hit you with my spell book." Arthur threatened. A wry smile crossed Francis's lips.

"Trust me, _Angleterre_, I would never dream of bringing up something so uncomfortable to you in conversation." Francis replied. His voice was laced with irony, and it dug deep into Arthur's nerves.

"Fine. Good night, frog." He replied. Without a word, Francis shut the door.

For a very long time, Arthur laid awake, turning Francis's words over and over in his mind.

* * *

><p>"So? What did you get on it?" was the first thing out of Arthur's mouth the next morning. The Briton looked very tired, with thick bags under his eyes, and his hair looked even more like a bird's nest. So, Kiku decided it was best to break the news gently.<p>

"I apologize, Arthur-san, but I was unable to break through the plate's programming code. There is a strong firewall protecting it, and no matter what I did to try and break in, it wouldn't let me in." Kiku replied. Ludwig, who had been listening, looked over sharply.

"So, we don't have anything on it? What do we do now?" he asked. Feliciano blinked, and his eyes slid over to meet Romano's, who huffed and crossed his arms, his emerald eyes narrowing.

"I think we should take it back. We have no right to steal from the altar." Romano said. Antonio's eyes flashed in worry, but he didn't say a word. Romano never moved his eyes from the plate, and Feliciano's eyes shifted to match.

"No, not yet. I have found out one thing about the plate, something very interesting." Kiku replied. "It carries the same signature code that the altar had."

"Well duh, it was a part of the altar. That's not any real surprise." Gilbert pointed out. Kiku shook his head, and traced the verse inscribed on the side. It glittered a sickly gold in the low light, nothing like the beautiful glow Feliciano had described.

"No. The altar now has a different code, a benign one. It still has the…program, but it's not active. It just functions as a regular table." Kiku said. "The plate, though, is active. It has the same signature as when it...affected the Italys."

"Wait, so that thing can do whatever the altar did to me? Can it still happen now? _Chigi_, you have to get it out of here, bastard!" Romano snapped. Feli's eyes flashed briefly with fear. He stood backed away from the plate, one hand grabbing a hold of Ludwig's arm.

"Ve…I don't want that to happen again. Can…can we take it back?" Feliciano pleaded. Kiku looked up at Feliciano, and shook his head.

"No. Well, not back to your house. I'm taking it back to mine to be studied." Kiku replied. "I think we should learn as much as possible about our enemy." With that, Kiku tucked the plate back into his bag, and slung it over his shoulder.

"As long as I keep it with me, it shouldn't affect you two at all. Just don't touch it, and you should be fine." He instructed. Feliciano nodded, and he seemed to regain a bit of colour. His grip on Ludwig lessened a bit, and he took a step closer.

"Speaking of learning about our enemy, I think it's time we plan our second visit to Ivan's house." Vash stated, one hand resting on the butt of his gun, as if expecting an enemy to attack at the mention of Ivan's house. Lili, who was sitting nearby, gave a light smile.

"_Ja,_ I checked on Ivan this morning. He's feeling much better; in fact, he should be coming here any minute." She chimed. Immediately, Vash stole a glimpse behind him, and shifted a couple inches closer to his sister. Arthur followed Vash's line of sight, and then glanced back at Kiku.

"Well, I'm ready. As soon everyone else is, I'll be going." He stated. He folded his arms and kept his eyes trained on Kiku, and firmly ignoring Francis, who was giving him an almost irritated look.

"I don't really see the point in going to Ivan's house, aru. It was the exact same as we left it, except the statue was destroyed. Why are we going back again?" Yao asked. Kiku shook his head.

"I…have a theory. But I need to make sure it's right. If you don't find anything this time, then I know it's wrong." Kiku replied. "You don't need to worry about it. It's improbable, but I want to make sure."

"I suppose you aren't going to tell us, right?" Roderich asked. His voice was layered with heavy sarcasm, and his dark indigo eyes flashed with irritation and…distrust?

"I…will let you know what it is when I make sure. I don't want to give anyone ideas we can't achieve." Kiku replied. Roderich opened his mouth to say more, but Gilbert cut him off.

"Lay off, specs. Let's just go check out Ivan's when he's ready, or are you scared of the big bad monsters there?" he teased. Roderich spun around to snap at him, and Gilbert's scarlet eyes gleamed in amusement.

"I am ready to go now, so we can leave_, da_?" Ivan said, walking into the room, closely followed by Natalya. Quickly, Arthur walked over, snatching his wand off the table as he went. Yao, Lili, Vash, and Francis followed.

"_Oui,_ we are ready to go." Francis replied. "Now, let's begin."

* * *

><p>The house was just as he they had left it. Enormous, and beautiful, but with an ominous shade to every bit of it. It was also cold. The chill of the house seeped into Arthur, pulling him, chilling him to his bones. There was also something incredibly <em>off<em> about the house, something sat sent warning bells echoing in his head. With every step he took, they grew louder, until it was almost deafening. He kept his wand firmly clenched in his hands, sparks of magic trailing out from it, drifting like pixy dust through the air. His magic coursed through his system, almost dizzying with how much power he was pulling in and not using. The others, though obviously not magic, seemed to sense the terrible _wrongness _of the house as well.

Ivan in particular looked very alarmed. His already pale skin looked several shades lighter, like porcelain against the darkened walls. His lavender eyes kept sweeping across the house, as if he could see something Arthur was not aware of. This was something that scared Arthur even more. If Ivan could see something Arthur couldn't, that meant the thing wasn't magical. This left only one option.

A program that had infected Ivan while he was under the Error's control. A program that was still there, dormant, and waiting.

They walked in silence, only broken by the occasional comment made by Francis, which Arthur did his best to ignore, or a question asked by Lili. All of them simply wanted to get out as quickly as they could.

There was a sudden, brilliant light that filled the room, encasing the nations in a cocoon of warmth. Sunflowers. Greenery. Sunlight. Arthur was struck by the sight of a field dancing with sunflowers, and he caught a glimpse of Ivan, as a child, smiling cheerfully, taking a step toward the nations who had been pulled into this vision as well.

As quickly as it had come, the vision vanished, leaving all of them disoriented.

"That…didn't happen last time, aru." Yao said, leaning against the wall.

"What…was that? It was like…when I went with Ms. Natalya to…" Lili started, but her voice trailed off when she caught sight of Ivan. The Russian was staring blankly ahead, his face completely flat. Natalya sent a warning glance at the others, and then took her brother's arm, flinching slightly as she always did when touched.

"Big brother…we have to keep moving. We're almost there…" Natalya prompted. Ivan blinked, and then smiled his false grin at Natalya.

"_Da…_we do. How close are we?" he asked.

"Very. Let's go." Vash said. They continued, until they finally reached the center.

Arthur felt a chill roll down his spine. This wasn't like when they came to the house a second time without Ivan and Natalya. There was definitely something…_cold_ here. A presence and a powerful one at that. Was it possible that the Error was here? Or even worse, that…_thing_ that just seemed to keep popping up wherever they went.

The statue, though it was destroyed, was beautiful. It was almost dragon-esque in appearance, two gothic wing-like structures centering on a gorgeous sapphire. Ivan blinked when he saw it, his lavender eyes briefly widening, and then a mask of indifference settled on his face. Natalya drifted closer, biting her lip, and never looking away. Ivan continued to walk closer, until he was standing before the statue. He brought out one pale, trembling hand, his long fingers inches from touching it.

"Ivan…don't!" Yao said, catching the taller country's wrist. Ivan blinked, snapping out of it, and then giving a grateful look to the Asian nation. The other members of their group centered around the statue, unsure of what exactly to do. Arthur inspected the glowing sapphire, brushing his fingertips against it. There was a sudden influx of power, crashing into him. It burned, slamming into him, creeping through his veins. Ice laced with fire, it numbed him, and burned him. He jerked away, his emerald eyes going wide.

"Arthur? What is it?" Lili asked. The Briton blinked, still shaking,

"The statue. It's still working, we didn't destroy it right." Arthur said. Vash looked up, alarmed.

"What? How? We did exactly what we were supposed to, we destroyed it at the same time!" he snapped. Arthur shook his head.

"Something went wrong. We didn't do it right. I don't think the statue and the altar are the source at all, their just places the power seeps from." Arthur replied. Francis cursed, tightening his hands into a fist.

"No matter what we do, something always goes wrong. Why can't something good happen?" he asked angrily. A few of the other nations looked at the normally cheerful Frenchman, surprised. Lili smiled warmly, in an attempt to ease the tension.

"It's alright, we got Ivan and Natalya and the Italys back, right? And we're one step closer to defeating the Error, _ja?_" she asked. Francis didn't reply. Instead he stood there, his hands clenching and unfurling painfully. Finally, Arthur spoke.

"I think…we need to find out what exactly the power is coming from to defeat it. If we can somehow find out a way to trace it through these places, then we can find the source, and get to it." Arthur suggested. Yao blinked, looking up.

"How, aru?" he asked. Arthur shrugged.

"I think that's what Kiku is trying to do." Arthur replied. "I think…he just needed us to make sure the power is still flowing through these areas." When he finished, he glanced back at the statue. Ivan hadn't moved at all, or even reacted. It was as if he wasn't even there, as if he was lost in his memories. Natalya was watching him warily, her sapphire eyes darting between the northern nation and the statue.

"I suppose I should thank you." Another voice spoke. A soft voice, barely above a whisper. "Without you all, I wouldn't know exactly what you all were planning on doing."

Arthur froze in place. He looked past the statue, wide-eyed. Matthew emerged, his violet eyes boring into Arthur, and then locking onto Francis.

"I don't think it would be right to thank them." Alfred's voice rang behind them. "After all, they didn't even know we were here. I think it would be more appropriate to congratulate ourselves for listening." Alfred replied. Both twins stopped walking, standing on either side of the nations. The real beings walked backwards, forming a tight circle, almost back to back with each other.

Ivan, though, didn't move. Natalya looked torn between trying to retrieve her brother, and staying with the others.

"IVAN! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Yao barked, his brown eyes wide and pleading. The tall Russian still didn't move, frozen in place by whatever held him.

Casually, Matthew propped the gun on his shoulder, and took aim.

"You know, this is kind of familiar, right Vash? If I recall properly, you did the same thing." Alfred commented casually. Vash clenched his fists, and Lili looked back fearfully over his shoulder, her sea-green eyes wide, and her face pale.

"I am my brother's ally." Natalya hissed. "I have to protect him, no matter what."

Alfred's sapphire eyes drifted to her, and then narrowed coldly.

"I suppose, then, I should thank you as well. Now I know exactly what you mean to me."

Matthew pulled the trigger, Ivan blinked, and Natalya broke away, sprinting as fast as she could.

Tears streamed down her face.

* * *

><p>AN

Please review, if you want.


	3. Isaiah 57: 1-2

A/N

A few alterations, not to many.

Enjoy, please!

Disclaimer: blah.

* * *

><p>Natalya ran as fast as her feet could carry her, almost as fast as when she shielded Alfred from her brother. She fell into the same pose, arms outstretched, and her feet planted firmly apart. She shut her eyes, waiting for the pain to come. As she did so, she saw Alfred's eyes widen, sapphires coming to life, the virus breaking for just a moment…<p>

The pain never came. She felt Ivan's arm around her waist, and she was shoved to the ground. The gun shots cracked loudly, echoing off the walls. She stared up in shock. Ivan was hunched over her, having barely been able to get to the ground in time.

"Well, that was unfortunate." Matthew said. He strode forward, his rifle planted on one shoulder. "I was hoping I could get this done quickly." Ivan got to his feet, pulling Natalya up as well, who was still shaken. The other real nations broke away, forming a loose ring around the two sets of siblings.

"You know, I always liked you better then Alfred. You seemed much nicer, _da?_ Unfortunate that it turned out this way." Ivan replied. Alfred snorted, and Natalya heard the clicking of a pistol behind her.

"You give him too much credit. Always beware the quiet ones, Ivan. Didn't the scare soldiers teach you anything?" Alfred asked. Matthew smiled, and Ivan grinned back dangerously. The air cracked, light dripping through the breaks in the code…

Under their conversation, Natalya heard a soft murmur of something. A spell, maybe? She glanced back briefly over her shoulder. Alfred was still aiming his pistol at Ivan, but his eyes were focused on her. She looked past him, right at the statue. There was a definite murmur of _something_ in the air…whether it was from the monument or Arthur, she had no idea.

At the same moment, several things happened.

The first was that Ivan jerked her to the side, throwing her away from himself and the twins, and pulling out his lead pipe. The second was that the twins unleashed their combined attack, _'Divine Justice'_, which caused a brilliant burst of light to fill the room. The last was, at the same time, another light burst from the sapphire, blinding them all.

There was no pain.

When she opened her eyes, there was nothing but blackness where the twins should have been.

She fell to her knees when she realized he was gone again.

* * *

><p>Kiku was slumped forward on his desk, staring sleepily at the screen. His charcoal eyes were cracked open ever so slightly, barely awake. He had been awake for almost an entire day, just desperately trying to crack the codes the plate held. He shut his eyes, and his chin gently tapped against his chest, he was about to nod off.<p>

'_Just for five minutes…'_

It was then that he suddenly saw a brilliant flash of light, which completely filled his vision. He shot straight up, blinking wildly. Error messages filled the computer screen, each proclaiming a single message.

'_WARNING: PROGRAMS UNSTABLE. DELETION CODE ACTIVATED' _following this message was the identification codes for Ivan, the America twins, and even the Italys. Kiku's eyes widened in horror, and he began quickly typing away, desperately trying to get vaccines into their programs.

Nothing was working. With every strain of data he could decode, ten more strains popped up, each infected with that damn error, each one broken and _gone. _It was just like before, when the Italys were unstable. He ran through everything he could possibly think of, but nothing could work. It was then that he realized something even worse. The programs for the real nations had disappeared as well, off the map. He couldn't find them anywhere! There was nothing but the Error, the virus, he felt so damn _helpless…_

He didn't notice that, in the corner of the screen, the plate's program had begun activating, infecting several nations at the same time.

As quickly as the chaos started, it suddenly stopped. The error messages disappeared, and everything was as it was before, leaving Kiku a panicked, frazzled mess.

"I…have to go there and ask…" Kiku said softly to himself. Whatever that was, he couldn't let it happen again.

* * *

><p>"<em>Stop."<em>

A need. A whisper. It echoed in his mind, telling him his duty. He needed to leave. He needed to protect.

"_Stop." _

No…it wasn't right. There was something more…a powerful force. It was protecting _him_, keeping him alive, and keeping him safe. That voice…

"_Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!"_

A face, a face so _painfully familiar_ that he couldn't help but stare. It shielded him, keeping him safe, reassuring him that he was alright. Blue eyes, a kind smile…he was safe now, that face kept him safe.

The scene shifted. Now he was outside the church, _away_ from the altar he needed to protect, but that was alright. It was safe, he had protected it, fulfilled his duty. The others were there, too. They had joined him, seen the light.

And the Error was smiling, happy; his scarlet eyes seemed to glow. And there was another there too, and Feliciano was _happy._ The Error turned to him, holding out a delicate hand. He gave off an aura of contentness, of power. There was something about him that made Feliciano want to trust him, to serve him, to protect him.

And it scared Feliciano. On some level, it scared him deeply.

_"We could be like this…if you would help me. We need you…just wake up, and remember."_

Slowly, Feliciano's amber eyes opened. He sat up, painfully rubbing his head.

"Feliciano? Are you alright?" Ludwig asked. Feliciano blinked, and smiled.

"_Si_…I'm fine."

* * *

><p>The other real nations slowly came to, all having experienced the same darkness Natalya had. They all agreed to head home, and report what they had seen to the others.<p>

All except for Ivan. He had refused to say what he had seen, and that worried Natalya. It worried her deeply; she had seen her brother's heart, and she wanted him to feel the same happiness that he had felt when he was a child.

The trip back was silent. An uncomforted frost seemed to have cloaked them, but Natalya didn't mind. It gave her a chance to think.

While they were walking, Ivan suddenly caught her arm. They stopped, and Natalya looked up at him. He didn't look back at her, he stared straight ahead.

"_Systra._" He started. "I want you to promise me something." He said. Natalya quickly nodded, and he shut his eyes, taking a breath.

"Anything, I'll do anything! What is it?" she asked. Ivan was silent for a moment, and then he spoke.

"_Systra_…if I ever get infected by the Error again, I want you to stop me. Any way necessary, it doesn't matter. Just do it." He said. Natalya's blood ran cold, and she shook her head.

"No! Never! How could you ask that? I can't…I can't do that to you! No! I refuse!" she snapped. Ivan looked at her, his violet eyes cold.

"_Systra_, I'm serious. I can't…I can't do that to you again! If you really love me, do it!" he snapped. Natalya bit her lip, taking a step back. She was shaking, unable to think of what Ivan was asking to do. How could he do that? How-how could he be so _selfish_ to ask her to be the one to kill him?

"I-I do…but…" she started. He kept an even gaze on her, and Natalya swallowed. She could feel herself crumbling under that lavender gaze. If he asked her to do something, she had to. She had to…

_Everyone was leaving her again…she was always alone…_

_Why was she always alone?_

"_T-tak_…I'll do it." She replied. Her voice cracked at the end, and he nodded. He began to walk away, and she jogged to keep up.

If Ivan asked her to make sure…then he must have seen something different from everyone else. Something that warned him he might not be as in control as they thought.

* * *

><p><em>The light was blinding, brilliant, pure white, untouched by any other colours. The Error looked upwards, his scarlet eyes focusing on whatever the entity that this light came from. In the heavens, he could see a faint outline, a figure taking form, forged from the memories of the ones it had chosen.<em>

_"We are so close…so close to our goal…" the Error spoke. His voice sounded strange, the first words he had spoken with such emotion before. Joy? Melancholy? He wasn't sure what the entity was feeling that gave him such emotion. Whatever it was, it was the most powerful thing he had ever felt._

_"I don't know…I hope they know it is you. I hope they remember your face, the face you chose." The Error answered. He could see the faint black of the cloak fluttering in the wind, sharp contrast from the white of his own clothing, the same colours the Real Being who looked like the Error wore._

_"They have seen you. I know they have. The Real Beings saw the things I showed them as well." The Error replied again. Then he felt a sense of joy wash over him, showering his face with warmth. He swore he felt his lips curl into a smile._

_"I know…but…don't you think it will be a little cruel? I mean…he…he loved…" the Error started. He was suddenly cut off by a wave of anger, and he heard the threats of the other pounding in his head._

_"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, you're right…it will make him happy to see your face again."_

* * *

><p>Feliciano was overjoyed when Kiku came back to the virtual world. The first thing he did was throw his arms around the Japanese man, ignoring how awkward Kiku acted when he did that, and he cried out in excitement, chattering away how much he had missed Kiku. (Even though he had only been gone a day.) Strangely, Ludwig looked rather relieved at the hyper Italian's behavior. Feliciano assumed it was because his friend was back.<p>

"_Ve_~ why are you back so late, Kiku? We missed you!" Feliciano exclaimed. Kiku winced a little at Feliciano's question. Maybe it was because Feliciano was still hugging him tightly.

"Well…there was a little trouble…but it's fine now, I fixed it." Kiku replied. "I actually came back to check on you all, and make sure you're okay."

"Well, the others aren't back yet. I believe they are on their way home. You're welcome to stay until then." Ludwig offered. Kiku nodded his thanks and sat down, leaving his black backpack on the table.

Feliciano found his eyes slowly drifting to the bag, the one he knew the collection plate was in. He could almost see himself walking over, unzipping the bag, and reaching in, feeling his fingers against the cool metal of the plate, lifting it out, and then using its power to-

"Feliciano, where is Romano?" Kiku asked. The Italian blinked, snapping out of whatever train of thought he had been pulled into.

"O-oh! Lovi is in the kitchen, he said he was going to make pasta for us, since he didn't want to eat nasty potatoes!" Feliciano chirped. Again, that strange relief crossed Kiku's face. To be honest, it was kind of making the Italian nervous. What was everyone so scared about? Couldn't he do anything without someone watching? Why, no matter how hard he tried, could he make them happy?

He felt his eyes being drawn to the bag again. He remembered something, the feeling that he needed to protect…something. The feeling of power. The sight of white, red, gold, and black.

"_Fratello! _Get your ass in here! You're the only one I trust with food!" Lovino yelled from the kitchen. Feliciano shot up, running after.

"Coming, Lovino!" he yelled back, sprinting into the kitchen, bumping into the table. He stumbled, nearly falling on Ludwig, who caught him, briefly scolding the Italian on being careful. Feliciano just offered him a sunny smile.

"_Grazie,_ Ludwig!" he chirped, pecking him on the cheek. He watched a scarlet stain bloom over Ludwig's cheek, and Feliciano ran away. Why did Ludwig do that, when he had kissed Feliciano's cheek before? It made no sense.

Ludwig blinked, and he saw the image of a young girl with auburn hair, sweeping the deck. It was gone before he could really see it, and he forgot it the minute he blinked.

* * *

><p>Arthur shivered as he stepped into the sun. The golden light shone against his sandy hair, and he blinked away the blinding light. He turned, checking on the others. Everyone was following, not a single person had been lost.<p>

That was the first time he could say that in a while.

Well…it wasn't completely true. Alfred and Matthew were lost.

'_No.'_ he scolded himself. '_Don't think about that. I WILL get them back.'_

Natalya looked even more upset than when they were fighting. She looked positively heartbroken. Arthur almost wanted to console her, but he didn't. She didn't like him, anyway. She didn't like anyone but her brother.

It wasn't like she cared about the twins, anyway. So they simply couldn't talk.

"Ms. Natalya, are you okay?" Lili asked softly. Natalya looked at the younger micro nation, and she shrugged.

"I am fine."

"I know you aren't."

"It is none of your business."

"Ms. Natalya, please tell me. I'm worried."

"You should not be. I am fine."

"You're crying."

Arthur whirled around. Natalya immediately clapped a hand to her cheek, staring in surprise. Water hung on her eyelashes, and a small river was forming on her cheeks. Arthur couldn't help but stare. Natalya, the scariest, toughest, most frightening nation of all, was _crying?_

"I. Am. Fine." Natalya snarled through clenched teeth. Then she ran, her platinum hair trailing behind her like a white ribbon.

For a moment, no one moved, and then Ivan ran after her.

For some strange, unexplainable reason, Arthur was suddenly reminded of Alfred doing the exact same thing when Natalya stayed with him.

Needless to say, it didn't take long before they were back at the safe house. Once again, Arthur went to bed alone. He needed time to think.

* * *

><p>"Kiku, what happened in the real world?" was the first thing Roderich asked. Kiku looked rather surprise at how straightforward the question was, but the Japanese man complied. Kiku's eyes slid to where Feliciano was dozing on the couch, Romano sleeping on another chair nearby.<p>

"I think…the attack that the America twins preformed somehow drew the power of the Error, and it triggered something. But they used too much power, and it set off a deletion program."

"It did what?" Francis demanded. "_Mon petit Mathieu_…is he okay?" Francis asked. Kiku nodded.

"Yes, they are all fine. But they weren't the only ones affected. The Italys too…and Ivan."

"So…what do we do, aru? How do we defeat them without killing them?" Yao asked.

"I…don't know yet." Kiku admitted.

"What…what if…there isn't a way?" Roderich asked. He was horrified at the thought, but he had to think logically.

"_Ny!_ There has to be! We can't let anyone die!" Natalya snapped. A few heads turned, surprised at her outburst. She didn't notice.

"We can't let anyone die! No matter what, we can't!" she snapped, hands twitching to her knives. "They...they will not be alone!"

And, for some reason, it was Francis who understood her.

"_Oui._" He agreed. "No matter what, we will bring everyone home."

* * *

><p>AN

Reviews?


	4. Romans 8:38-39

A/N

Woohoo...getting to the climax. Wooooooh!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

><p>Alfred held the pocket watch in front of his eyes, watching the pure light gleaming off the carefully tooled surface. His darkened, blank eyes took in the unmoving minute and hour hands, the runes carved into the sides of the clock, and the chain that snaked around his gloved hands. It was strange, really. The more power he used, the stronger he felt. He felt close to God, he felt like a higher being. Even if sometimes he blacked out from the strain of constantly using that power, even if that deletion program was activated, he would still serve his master. He would do anything, even if it meant his own death.<p>

And he knew that if he fulfilled his master's plans, he would die. But did it matter? All he could be was a servant. He finally had a purpose, a reason for existing. It didn't matter how hard that voice in the back of his mind screamed and begged for him to stop hurting his friends. He was justice; he and his brother were chosen.

Everything was falling into place, just like the gears in his watch. Soon, the real beings would join them, and everything would be perfect, just like God wanted it to be. He, his brother, and the other chosen beings would be in paradise. He would have to be deleted first, of course, but it was a sacrifice his master asked, and a sacrifice he would gladly give.

His master walked into the room, and Alfred shut the pocket watch. Matthew stood beside him, perfectly still, like a statue. Alfred kneeled, as it was a proper greeting for a servant to give. After a minute, he stood back up, and the Error narrowed his scarlet eyes in frustration.

"They are getting close to discovering where we are. I want you to find them, and make them join us. I want you to speed up the virus in Feliciano and Lovino. Make them join us. Ivan is already on the verge of doing it; I want you to make him as well."

"What if they don't? And what do we do about the rest of the real beings?" Matthew asked. The Error smiled a soft, almost sad smile, and his eyes darkened.

"Bring them to justice, show them the power I gave you." He replied simply. Matthew nodded slowly, glancing at the rifle in his hands. After a moment, he suddenly looked up.

"Is…there any way to not kill them?" he finally asked. Anger flashed over the Error's face, and he lifted up Matthew by the collar of his jacket, pushing him to the wall. Alfred immediately snapped the watch open, preparing to use a fire spell on the Error to make him drop Matthew. He also drew out his pistol and aimed it at the Error. This was all in less than a second, and Alfred didn't even think as he did it.

"Are you questioning me?" The Error snarled. Matthew slowly shook his head, and the Error dropped him to the floor. Alfred stored away his pistol and snapped the watch shut before the Error turned around. His scarlet eyes took in both of the twins, and he nodded.

"Good. Go and do it now."

* * *

><p>Kiku yawned, placing his head in his arms. He spent most of the night trying to hack again, with only the comfort of Hatsune Miku's (not Mika's) voice to help him. He gave another yawn, and buried his face in his arms. His night proved to be fruitless, the code was simply too complex to trace. Even after reducing it to simple binary numbers, he couldn't understand it. It seemed that there was simply no way to trace them. There were too many hidden codes…<p>

There was one thing that bothered him, though. He had the code that Alfred originally had written down on a backup file. He noticed that Alfred's code was different now. Several pieces were missing, and new strings of data were added. He compared it to the binary code that made up the virus found in the plate, and noticed that the virus had a similar pattern of numbers. Both were very, very unstable codes that could be deleted very easily with overuse. He checked Matthew's code, and noticed that it had the same pattern. Both of them were growing more and more unstable.

What scared Kiku even more was that he picked up traces of that code in Feliciano, Romano, and Ivan's codes. It wasn't as warped as the twins, and it was still dormant, but it was there. And it scared Kiku horribly. It seemed that no matter what, they were always going to have to fight their friends. Feliciano and Romano were already so close to being deleted before…he didn't know if they could handle that program again. And they were so powerful then, too. Even Ludwig, Gilbert, Antonio, and Roderich, some of the most powerful fighters on their side, couldn't handle them very well. With all five of some of their most powerful members fighting against them, Kiku honestly was scared of what would happen.

Kiku yawned again and logged onto the computer. He decided that it was best not to worry his friends about this new problem. Besides, the codes in the Italys and in Ivan were dormant. He doubted that they could be activated at this point.

"What did you find out, Kiku?" Feliciano asked. Kiku yawned, and covered his head again.

"Not much, Feli. But I think you guys should go back to that church…can you do that? I need more of the code to track."

"Sure~! I'll let Ludwig know right away~!" Feliciano chirped. Kiku nodded, and rested again. It didn't even occur to him that he just asked Feliciano to go back to where he had originally transformed.

* * *

><p>"Ludwig~! Wake up~!" Feliciano chirped. Ludwig sat up slowly, blinking at the Italian. He stretched, standing up.<p>

"Ja, Feli?" He asked. Feliciano smiled brightly.

"Ve, Kiku called, Ludwig~! He wants us to go back to my house to get some more samples of the code! How about we go, just you, me, and Lovi? Lovi is already awake making pasta, and you and I are awake! How about we go now?" The hyperactive Italian asked. Ludwig blinked slowly, taking in this odd sight. Feliciano seemed completely normal, even if he was up very early in the morning. Ludwig supposed that it was okay…after all, he would be there to make sure nothing bad happened to Feliciano. He was always there to protect him.

"Okay…let me get my whip. We can go in a minute." Ludwig replied. Feliciano cheered and went to tell Lovino. Ludwig stood up, grabbing his jacket and his whip. Was this really a good idea? Maybe he should call Gilbert and Roderich to go with him.

He walked into Gilbert's bedroom, and checked on his brother. The albino was sleeping, Gilbird burrowed in his neck. Ludwig let out a soft smile. It would be okay…he could protect the Feliciano, right?

"Ludwig?" Antonio asked, poking his head in. Ludwig jumped, and faced the Spaniard. Antonio looked rather…nervous.

"Ja? What is it?" Ludwig asked. Antonio shook his head.

"Feli told me. I want to go with you, Ludwig. I'm worried about Lovi." Antonio replied.

"Why?" Ludwig asked. "He seems normal to me."

"He isn't, Ludwig. I know him. He hasn't been talking to me at all, no matter how hard I try. I even gave him a hug, and he just stood there like a statue. He hasn't left Feli's side at all, as if…as if he's protecting Feli. He's also gotten into Kiku's bag, the one with the plate in it. Kiku left it on the table. I think that virus is still there, Ludwig. I'm worried…Lovino…he doesn't deserve that! I can't let him get hurt!" Antonio said, his voice rising in the end. His green eyes seemed to be almost pleading with the German.

"O-oh…I see…you should come to…" Ludwig finally replied, honestly at a loss for words. Antonio gave a relieved smile.

"Gracias, Ludwig. Let's go, I already have my axe."

* * *

><p>When they arrived, it was just as before. Peaceful and quiet. The hairs on Ludwig's neck stood on end and the still atmosphere. It was sickening, how such a place was so…twisted.<p>

Feliciano drifted to the front, his eyes focusing on the golden cross towering over them, mounted on the wall. His eyes seemed almost dark, almost blank. His pale fingers folded over, and a soft prayer escaped his lips. Romano walked over as well, and Ludwig saw a black bag in his hands.

"Ludwig! Get it! They have that plate!" Antonio snapped, his voice panicked. Ludwig tore off running, Antonio already ahead of him. They sprinted at top speed, but a sudden flash of blinding light and pain stopped them. Ludwig threw his arms over his face.

"FELICIANO!" He screamed. He saw a figure standing above him, Alfred.

"Don't interfere." The American said coldly. Matthew stood beside his brother, his rifle pointed at the German. Ludwig looked behind him, praying that nothing was happening to his Feliciano.

Light was surrounding the twins. Light and power. The plate was glowing, and the air almost hummed with intense power. Ludwig couldn't see them, but he knew what was happening. Antonio grabbed his axe and attempted to do something, anything, to save the Italys, but he was quickly stopped by an ice attack from Matthew. There was nothing they could do. Nothing…

The light faded, and Ludwig stopped breathing at what he saw.

The Italys were angels dressed in white robes, surrounded by glowing power. They slowly walked forward, their eyes blank and cold.

"Lovino…" Antonio whispered softly. Romano raised a hand.

"_Rosario Impale."_

* * *

><p>Arthur found himself rather rudely awakened by the frantic shouts of Gilbert. The Prussian was yelling for everyone to get up and come downstairs. Arthur lazily dragged himself out of bed and trudged downstairs, rubbing his sleep-hazed emerald eyes. He met with the rest of the nations, and watched as a panicked Gilbert argued loudly with Roderich.<p>

"But we have to go and find them now, rich boy! West, Antonio, and the Italys are GONE! Who knows what happened to them? We have to save them!" Gilbert yelled, his scarlet eyed wide with anger and worry.

"I know, but we have no idea where they are! We can't just go marching out and expect everything to go right! We need a plan, Gilbert! Calm down, we'll find them!" Roderich snapped back. Gilbert opened his mouth to argue, but finally shut it, gritting his teeth together.

"Fine, but if something happens to my brother, I blame you!" Gilbert yelled. Roderich nodded.

"Nothing will happen." He replied.

"What's wrong?" Lili asked softly. Gilbert looked at her.

"Ludwig, Lovino, Feliciano, and Antonio are all gone." Gilbert said simply. Francis looked alarmed.

"W-what? When?" he asked. Gilbert gritted his teeth.

"I don't know!" He snapped back.

"We should split up." Kiku said. "Then we could cover a greater area quicker."

"I'll go to the church." Arthur spoke up. Francis clung to his arm, and Arthur dug his elbow into the Frenchman's ribs, shoving him off.

"I'll go with Arthur~!" he declared.

"So will I, and Natalya." Ivan added. Natalya nodded. One by one, the nations formed their groups, and they set out, having no idea what they would meet. The first place Arthur and his group were going would be the church. The walk was quick and silent; everyone determined to bring their team home.

When they arrived, Arthur fell to his knees.

Antonio was on his back, shivering, his shaking hand reaching blindly for his axe, which lay several feet away. Romano was standing over him, his hand outstretched at the Spanish man, his blank emerald eyes narrowed and cold. The golden cross that hung from his neck glowed with an unnatural light that sent Arthur's magic senses screaming warning bells.

Feliciano was standing before the altar, his hands clasped tightly in prayer, white light shimmering around his angelic form. His robes were sent a flight with power, and the glowing light in the pristine, sacred grounds of the building became more and more overwhelming. Latin spilled from Feliciano's lips, and Arthur realized that Feliciano was chanting a summoning spell.

Ludwig stood not a foot away, frozen, and staring at his little Feliciano being controlled by something he couldn't imagine. Why wasn't he moving? Why wasn't he trying to stop him?

Gilbert sprinted forward, his scarlet eyes wide with alarm, one hand outstretched for his brother. There was a sudden blast of energy, and flames sprang up at Gilbert's feet, hissing and growling, reaching hungrily for the Prussian. Gilbert scrambled back desperately, his face pale with terror. The flames parted as Alfred stepped through, and the fire formed a ring around the real nations, growing higher with the magic he was pouring into it.

"You will not hurt Feliciano or Lovino. I will protect them." He stated coldly. Arthur couldn't move, he couldn't speak. Alfred's eyes were so _cold_; no light seemed to be in them at all. Arthur couldn't help but take a step back. This wasn't Alfred. This was the Error.

"My brother is already handling the real beings Antonio and Ludwig." Alfred continued. As he stepped towards them, the fire grew closer, until it was a tight ring around the nations. Above the snarling and hissing of the dancing flames, Arthur could hear the sounds of gunshots. He watched Alfred draw his pistol, and stop walking, standing right before Natalya. The Belarusian girl was pale, her blue eyes wide. Arthur knew she was more than capable of handling herself, why wasn't she moving?

"You will be the first to die."

There was a sudden splash of scarlet, and the sound of metal cutting through air. Alfred's eyes went wide, and for a second, Arthur saw life in those eyes. Blood bloomed across his chest, and Alfred's hand clenched tighter around his watch, glaring up into violet eyes. Ivan pulled back his scythe, and returned the cold glare.

"Do not touch my sister." Ivan snarled. Alfred smiled, and pointed his pistol at Ivan.

"As you wish."

Ivan slashed his scythe through the air, swinging wildly at Alfred. His teeth were gritted together tightly; his violet eyes were narrowed to gleaming slits. Piercing pain ripped through his entire body, sending his world into a blaze of burning agony. It was the same pain he felt when entering this world, the same feeling of slipping away from himself.

Alfred ducked and weaved, more graceful than anyone could think the American could ever be. The two superpowers could have been dancing, barely avoiding every hit that could end the other's life. Ivan's hands were shaking, and his movements began to slow as he struggled to fight back the stirring control of the Error.

'_I can't lose control, I can't lose control, I can't lose control!' _

Ivan screamed these words again and again in his mind, and he felt his entire being tremble. The blinding light in the church grew unbearable, and through it he could see his older sister and a field of sunflowers, he could see every happy memory he had ever felt, he could feel _warm _and _loved._ He had never felt truly loved…

Strange, his face suddenly felt wet.

Ivan felt his body go numb; he felt the scythe drop from his fingers. The last thing he saw, before all became black, was dancing sunflowers and his older sister's gentle smile...

"IVAN!" Arthur heard Gilbert scream in alarm, as the Russian man froze, his eyes wide and blank. No. This could not be happening. Not their most powerful players! They had been so close to getting out and saving everyone, so close!

Ivan slowly turned around, striding toward them with even, powerful steps. Arthur quickly turned to his spell book, and he transformed to Britannia Angel form. He watched Natalya draw her knives, Gilbert take his sword, and Roderich rest his violin under his chin.

"_Confringo!"_ Arthur cried out, throwing a hand forward. A blast of magic burst around them. In that instance, Gilbert leapt forward, with Francis at his side. Roderich used his violin, which created bursts of defensive magic with every powerful arc of his music. Arthur was almost choking on the amount of magic in the air, it kept building and building, with each passing minute they fought. There was so much power around them that the airs itself seem to hum.

And through it all, Ludwig, who _should have_ been screaming and fighting for Feliciano to wake up, didn't move. The German simply stood there, unblinking, watching Feliciano chant.

Lovino and Matthew approached the rest of the real nations, leaving behind an unconscious Antonio. Francis cursed under his breath, gripping his sabre, his azure eyes narrowed and angry.

"Why are you doing this? We're your friends! Mathieu, I-I _raised _you! You're my son!" The Frenchman cried out. Matthew slowly looked at him, his violet eyes cold.

"To you, I am nothing but a barren wasteland of ice and snow." He said. Wind screamed through the church, ice pelting the nations. Alfred smiled.

"I am the idiot nobody loves. I am the one you all hate, yes? I am the one you wish would die." Alfred said, as fire danced at his fingertips. The real nations fell back-to-back, encircled by the infected ones. They were going to die if no one stopped any of them; they were going to die…

"_Avada Kedavra!" _Arthur screamed in desperation, grabbing his head as tears rolled down his cheeks. How could his little Alfred say that? The boy he loved and rose since he was a child!

Alfred gripped his chest, his blue eyes wide with alarm. Blood dripped from the large wound on his chest, and in his hands, the pocket watch cracked. Matthew faced his brother, his eyes wide with worry. Ivan gritted his teeth and ran forward, slashing at the nations with his scythe, Gilbert just barely able to block it in time. Alfred sank to his knees, holding his chest as the blood stained his blue coat red.

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><p>Power whispered through his veins, crawling warmly through his body, gently curling in his chest. It coaxed gentle memories from his mind, whispering of different times, places, and languages. Ludwig shut his eyes and listened, allowing it to warm his very being, allowing the power to take his very soul.<p>

He watched Feliciano whisper his tongue, the language Ludwig himself knew in his very core, to God. Every little prayer, Ludwig knew. He was Ludwig. He was named after his first Germanic emperor, Ludwig der Bayrisch. He was Ludwig. He was holy. He was powered by God.

Light filled the church, giving Ludwig his pristine glory. His midnight robes took form; his entire being was filled with power. He was pure. He was holy. He was power.

Feliciano finishes his chant, and then he faced Ludwig. Tears fell down the Italian's face, and he embraced Ludwig, who held him, smiling.

"I knew it…Holy Roman Empire."

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><p>AN

Reviews?


	5. Matthew 24:10

A/N

The battlefield is set. Players are ready, we begin.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>The hum of magic peaked, screaming in Arthur's head. He cried out, clutching his head, stumbling back, almost into the fire that towered above their heads, crackling and hissing, rising and burning. Arthur screamed in agony as the magic filled him to the core, burning him from the inside out. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he couldn't feel. He was going to die like this, burning from the immense power of the Error.<p>

Shaking, the Britannia Angel raised his head, looking at Alfred. The American was shaking, trembling, as the spell took effect. The Binary Code was fading around his edges, he was disappearing. Arthur couldn't speak; he couldn't apologize for how sorry he was. He didn't know what would happen after Alfred disappeared, he didn't know if the American would wake up at home, or if he would…

"Francis, Antonio! Get up! We have to finish this!" Gilbert snapped, interrupting the Briton's thoughts. Antonio stood up unsteadily, flashing a smile at Gilbert, swinging the impossibly large axe over his shoulder. Antonio was visibly shaken, his olive skin almost as pale as the albino Prussian's, yet he smiled.

"_ROSARIO IMPALE_!"

Brilliant light echoed across the church. The stained glass windows, the beautiful faces of the saints, the mother, and the holy child, shattered. Antonio screamed in pain as the swords of light hit his already frail form, and he dropped his axe, sinking to the floor.

Through the blinding light, one could almost see the glittering tears dripping from Romano's cheeks.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth. Roderich picked up the fallen violin beside him, tucking it under his chin, and resting the worn bow on the strings. Francis stood next to him, holding his sabre, glancing warily around him. Natalya was still frozen, from what Gilbert had figured was losing her brother once more.

"I'll stop the Italys and _brudur, _rich boy, you stop Ivan, and Francis, you take out Matthew and finish off Alfred. Gilbert said simply. There was a soft noise of compliance, and Gilbert tore of running.

"_SEQUENTIA!"_

_"ROSARIO IMPALE!_"

Dual blasts of light rang out. The Italy twins stood side beside side, mirror images of each other. One set of hands were tightly clasped in the others', one set of hands were outstretched, ringing with holy power. Gilbert fell to one knee, choking, one hand clutched over his heart. He had to keep moving, he had to save his brother…

"_DIVINE RETRIBUTION!" _Matthew cried out, pointing the barrel of his rifle at Francis. A hundred ice crystals stung and cut the Frenchman's face, followed by an echo of frozen power. Matthew was standing guard in front of his dying brother, his dark violet eyes narrowed in hatred, not allowing anyone to harm the one person in his life that actually cared about him, who could actually see him.

Roderich danced with Ivan, the elegant aristocrat was surprisingly nimble, dodging the killing blade of the Russian. Behind the hum of the magic, his song was heard. With each peak of the song, with each echoing strand of his beautiful, haunting melody, the magic obeyed him, dancing and swaying to the song he played. Arching with the haunting, intense refrain, his powerful spells were almost a match for the superpower.

Almost.

Roderich cried out when the scythe slashed his torso, blood staining the steel blade red. Collapsing to the floor, he picked up his violin again, glaring up into the smiling face of the Russian. Roderich's indigo eyes fell behind Ivan, seeing the broken nation of America.

Standing up, Roderich took a deep breath, and ran to the side. Ivan's scythe rushed in a wide arc, nearly catching the Austrian a second time, if it weren't for the aristocrat's speed. With his back to the wide circle of flame, Austria turned his gaze, his eyes locked on Alfred, and he attacked.

The song he chose was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's last requiem: _Lacrimosa._

In one instant, the same instant that the opening notes played, Natalya moved. Dropping the silver blades she held for protection, she ran, her eyes stretched wide in fear, moving sprinting in desperation. Standing, her arms outstretched, she allowed the arc of magic to strike her already frail form. Blood ran from her lips, pouring from her chest, dripping to the white floor below. Her beautiful dress was stained red, and she shook, frail from the attack, and the need to protect. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the scarlet that spilled from her lips. Ivan froze, and faced his sister, who's gaze was fixated on the Germanic aristocrat.

"_Ny_..._Ny_! I won't allow you to hurt him!" she cried out, tears choking her shaking voice. "You can kill me, but you can't kill him!"

"_Systra?" _Ivan asked, staring blankly at Natalya. Roderich bit his lip, and took his chance. Hitting the Russian in the back with an arc of magic, he watched his ally cry out in pain, then turn to face him, anger evident in his eyes. Roderich flashed him a cold smile, and drew his bow yet again.

He already knew that everything had fallen apart. The Error had gotten the most powerful of them all, and the others couldn't fight. Austria was already defeated; they were all going to die in this world.

Well, he might as well go out doing what he loved, playing his heart out in song.

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><p>Feliciano was smiling, laying his head against the soft, silky cloak of Holy Rome. Ludwig smiled at him, gently weaving his fingers through the Italian's hair, his other hand resting against the small of the holy one's, back. Feliciano couldn't do anything but take his loved one in, he was just so so happy...<p>

"Feliciano..." Holy Rome said. His voice was soft and gentle and loving, just as Feliciano had remembered it.

"Feliciano...I need you. I gave this power to you, to call me, and I need to use it." This confused Feliciano a bit. Holy Rome had always been here, he had always been Ludwig. Holy Rome kept his promise and came back as Ludwig, and fell in love with him again. But...but Feliciano trusted him, so he smiled up at Holy Rome, his eyes glowing with the love he had always felt for Ludwig, as both Germany and Holy Rome.

"Okay...take it, it's yours." Feliciano told Holy Rome. Warm hands gently brushed against his cheeks, and Feliciano lent into them, shutting his warm amber eyes. Holy Rome's lips gently brushed to his, and Feliciano lent into the kiss, barely able to think about anything but his love for the other boy.

"_Ti amo così tanto, Santo Roma_"

The boy in white fell lifelessly to the ground, unsupported by the one he loved. Holy Rome walked forward, smiling a gentle, cruel smile. Romano walked by his side, his green eyes blank and emotionless. Ivan walked forward, his eyes losing their anger, their emotion, and Matthew followed, leaving his dying brother's side. The Holy Roman Empire knelt next to the dying nation, pressing his lips to Alfred's forehead. The American relaxed, his eyes shutting. Picking the nation up like a child, Holy Rome smiled at the others.

"You bastard..." Gilbert growled, his voice choked with hatred. "You...you BASTARD! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY _BRUDUR_? WHAT DID YOU DO TO FELICIANO? YOU'RE NOT HOLY ROME, YOU'RE NOT LUDWIG! GET OUT OF MY _BRUDUR_! JUST...JUST DIE!" Gilbert screamed out, brandishing his sabre, and sprinting forward, despite the bleeding wound in his side.

Holy Rome smiled.

Gilbert screamed as the light hit, gripping his head, pale fingers curling into his hair. Holy Rome calmly walked away, meeting the Error who stood, patiently waiting at the altar. The Error held Feliciano in his arms, looking calmly at the defeated nations in the shattered hall of the church.

"I win." Holy Rome said simply, before vanishing into 0's and 1's.

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><p><em>They are gone.<em>

Dropping to her knees, the Belarusian could only stare at the place they had been. She didn't feel the piercing stab of pain that hit her chest; she couldn't see the scarlet that bloomed on her snowy apron. Natalya was numb. She wasn't capable of pain, of sorrow. All the Belarusian could do was sit silently, not able to feel the precious life draining from her heart, while rain fell from her blank, indigo eyes.

_They are gone._

_He is gone._

_He is dead._

Arthur was screaming, his head thrown back in a torturous cry of pain. Tears streaked down his cheeks, angry and hot, dripping onto the beautiful floor of the cathedral. He punched the floor, his pale hands throwing punches again and again until they cracked, blood dripping from the cuts. He let out another heart-wrenching cry, drawing back his bleeding fist to strike the ground yet again, until Francis caught it, holding the Englishman's wrist tightly in his hand. Arthur looked up at the Frenchman savagely, tears streaking down his cheeks. Francis looked back at him calmly, simply waiting.

"LET GO OF ME!" Arthur screamed at Francis, choking over his own words. Francis calmly shook his head, not even bothering to fight back the tears glittering in his eyes. Arthur twisted his arm free, gripping the star-tipped wand with his shaking, bleeding hand.

"I'LL BLOODY KILL YOU, I SWEAR I WILL!" he screamed angrily, glaring at the Frenchman with more hate than any of them had ever seen. Francis, however, didn't react. Instead, he simply watched the Englishman, a completely blank look on his face.

"And what good would that do, Arthur? Would you bring any of them back? Would you bring Ivan and Ludwig back? Would you get us out of here, would you bring back my Mathieu, or bring back-"

"Don't you dare fucking say his name!" Arthur snapped angrily, not bother to hide the pain in his voice. Francis calmly walked over to him, standing just before Arthur, watching him with gentle eyes.

"Would it bring back Alfred, Arthur?"

"I killed him!" Arthur choked out, falling to his knees, and cradling his hands to his chest, as if to try and keep his heart from breaking. "I killed him, I killed him! I knew what that spell would do, and yet I still cast it! I killed him, Francis! I killed him!" Curling into a ball, he grabbed his hair and tucked his head between his knees, simply letting out the most heartbreaking sound a man could make. It was the sound of a man who had lost everything, and was simply breaking into boy-sized pieces.

Francis knelt down beside him, simply taking the Englishman's hands, and cupping them in his own.

"We can get him back, Arthur...this isn't the real world, we can get him back...we can get them all back..."

"And how will we fucking do that?!" Gilbert suddenly demanded, having been listening to the entire thing. "How are we going to get ANY of them back? You saw what that monster did, possessing _brudur _and using him like that! None of us can hurt any of them, we can't! We're fucking trapped, and we're all going to die!"

"Gilbert, calm down..." Roderich attempted to cut in. However, Gilbert rounded on him.

"Don't you dare fucking talk to me, rich boy! The only way we can kill out is if we kill them, and i...I can't let _brudur _die again!" The Prussian said, subtly glancing at Francis, who stiffened slightly at his gaze.

"He's dead..." Natalya said. Her voice was so soft, so broken, yet it rang out so loudly in the empty silence.

"_Nein, _we're going to save Ivan, Natalya..." Lili said, gently taking the Belarusian's hand. Natalya didn't reply. Instead, she dropped her face into her hands, her long, platinum hair covering her eyes. The fearsome Belarusian trembled, tears dripping from her eyes.

"Gilbert-san! Gilbert-san! Can you all hear me?" Kiku's voice suddenly rang out. The real nations looked up at the imagined source of his voice, all with tired, dead eyes.

"Kiku?" Gilbert asked in reply. There was a soft sound of relief from the Japanese man, and all of the real nations relaxed a bit at the old, familiar voice from the outside.

"_Hai_, it's me. I saw everything, and I think...I think I know where they are." Kiku said, a slight note of hesitation in his voice. "But...but I also have some bad news."

"That's okay, it can't can't be worse than what we've already been through..." Antonio piped up, his voice tired, at the same time a soft '_scheisse!' _was heard from Vash.

"What is it?" Francis asked, blue eyes narrowing.

A long silence passed.

"They are all alive." Kiku finally said.

"How is that bad? That's...that's...such a relief..." Arthur said, his voice barely audible through the thick emotion in it. Another long silence passed.

"I...their codes, they all changed...I can't decipher it...I can't tell what this is, but...but it's very unstable...they are all dying, dissolving at such a fast rate...they only have a little time left before they disappear into that world completely..."

"Kiku, we have to go there now! Take us there, please! Now!" Gilbert demanded, drawing himself to his full height, sabre in hand. A soft sound of acknowledgement came through the microphone.

"Wait...I just...have one last question." Francis suddenly said. The rest of the real nations gave him a curious look.

"Was that really the Holy Roman Empire?" he asked, his voice soft. Not even a beat passed before Gilbert whirled, his scarlet eyes narrowed, though not at the Frenchman.

"_Nein_. _Brudur _would never do that to anyone, especially Feliciano."

"Well...Francis-san...I'm not sure. I really can't tell, I didn't know Holy Rome..."

"He isn't that monster!" Gilbert snapped, his hands clenched tight and shaking. "I knew him! That isn't Ludwig! He wouldn't do that to any of us!"

"Gilbert, let's just go." Vash said, cutting across the Prussian's angry rant. The rest of the real nations agreed, picking up their weapons.

"Are you all sure about this? You're all injured terribly..." Kiku asked, hesitating in opening the way.

"Yes, I have to save him." Arthur said, switching back to his normal form. Kiku hesitantly agreed, and a brilliant, white portal appeared. They all walked through it, and stepped into a meadow.

It was pristine and peaceful, a beautiful field covered in flowers, petals drifting gently through the air. It was a beautiful world, perfect, like how humans imagine paradise.

It was heaven.

The sun was setting, turning the sky into a painting. Gentle birdsong whispered through the air, soft and sweet.

In the distance were four figures. One was a man dressed in white, like an angel. The other three were children, not even six years old. Two were mirror images, children with blonde hair, shining in the distant sunset, soft, white hands twined innocently. They were dressed in black robes, fluttering gently in the wind, pooling around their feet. The other boy had ash-blonde hair and gentle lavender eyes. He was smiling, holding onto the angel's hand, and holding a sunflower tight in the other...

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><p>AN

Please review?


	6. Isaiah 41:10

A/N

You have no idea how excited I am.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>"Alfred..." Arthur whispered again. He stumbled forward one hand outreached, tears spilling down his smiling lips. Alfred would recognize him, right? Arthur raised him, he loved him, Alfred was like his son...<p>

"Alfred, you're okay now, right? You're going to come home with us, you and your brother. You're both okay now, right?" England asked. His voice was a trembling whisper, fragile and soft, as if speaking too loud would shatter the illusion of Arthur having his family all together again, at last. At last...he had his sons, he had his precious little angels, the ones that he lived and breathed for...

They were here, at last...

A sudden pain ripped through Arthur's body, and he screamed, head thrown back, clutched tightly between his pale, trembling fingers. He screamed until his voice broke, crying as he yelled, unable to think, unable to feel anything, save for the hundred-thousand knives digging into his very core. It wasn't until Arthur lay on the ground, his voice gone and his cheek pressed against the cooling grass, that the pain finally stopped.

"Don't come near us, real beings." Alfred spoke. His voice was just as silken and soft as Arthur's, but it was hollow; emotionless. Both Alfred and Matthew pressed closer to Feliciano, like frightened children hiding behind their father; though their large, empty eyes never strayed from the real nation's faces. Ivan held tight onto Alfred's hand, looking just as curious, if a little frightened, as Alfred and Matthew. Feliciano walked forward, leaving behind the children, holding out a hand.

"Feliciano, what're you...w-what're you doing? Where's everyone else? What's going on?" Gilbert demanded, taking a hesitant step forward Feliciano's large, empty eyes flickered over to Gilbert, who froze under his gaze. Gilbert gritted his teeth and narrowed his scarlet eyes. His hand fell to the saber resting at his hip, his fingers curling around the hilt, waiting for the attack.

"I am teaching my children the ways of God, so that they will not receive the divine punishment you all will receive." Feliciano replied. He raised a hand to the rosary resting on his chest, his fingers brushing against the golden cross.

"Feliciano, snap out of it! We have to get out of here! Y-you will die if we don't! You and all of us!" Francis yelled, his eyes flickering to Arthur, who hadn't moved an inch from where he lay.

Feliciano smiled. It was so disturbing to see gentle, cowardly, loving Feliciano's smile twisted like this...

"Unfortunate...you have all still yet to learn the power of God."

Sudden shots rang out. Blood stained Feliciano's pure white robe, falling in a scarlet veil down the priest's chest. Feliciano simply looked up at Vash, who was holding up his rifle with shaking hands; his green eyes narrowed to near slits, and his hands shaking. Feliciano looked up at him, and clasped his hands, as if in prayer. White magic encased the Italian, and he smiled again.

"_Santi._.." Feliciano whispered. Rings of Holy magic encircled the priest, echoing with power.

Arthur looked up, and Alfred looked down at him with blank, dead eyes. Nothing was behind them, nothing but a pattern of zeroes and ones.

The magic encircled the real nations, trapping them in nothing but white light.

Screams of pain echoed from the real nations, ripping through the pure, gentle landscape. When it was finished, all of the nations had sank to their knees. Feliciano gently touched his chest, and the wound healed.

Arthur got to his hands and knees, his fingers digging into the soil. Crawling forward, he reached out a bloody, trembling hand to his sons.

"Go away!" Matthew yelled, stepping in front of Alfred, his lavender eyes narrowed. Matthew grabbed Alfred's hand tight in his, glaring down at the Englishman with more hatred than Arthur thought could possibly come from the gentle, quiet Canadian.

"Go away and leave us alone! We don't want you here! GO AWAY!"

"M-Mathieu..." Francis said. Looking up at the small boy, Francis narrowed his eyes, his hand curling around the hilt of his blade.

"You bastards! Using children like this! _Vous morceaux de merde! _I will kill you!" Francis screamed, getting to his feet.

"Francis, please! Listen to me! That's still Feliciano, those are still Alfred, Matthew, and Ivan! Don't kill them! They will die!" Kiku pleaded.

"I don't want to kill them, I want to kill that fake Holy Rome." Francis snarled. Gilbert nodded his agreement, and Antonio got to his feet as well.

Austria looked down at his hands.

"I will not let you." Feliciano replied. Alfred and Matthew nodded, and the two children joined their hands.

"_Perfect Chaos..."_

Pure, brilliant light tore through the field, and a hundred knives dug into the skin of the real nations. The twins watched with blank, uncaring eyes. They didn't even seem to be alive. They stood, hand in hand, watching as their family was hurt beyond what any human could take.

"Where is Lovino? What have you done to him?" Antonio demanded as he got to his feet. The Spaniard's eyes glittered with hatred as he glared at his precious Romano's twin. Feliciano looked back at him with a cold, even gaze, nothing like what the any of them had ever seen on the Italian's face.

"He is protecting the Holy one." Feliciano replied. His voice was almost a whisper. Antonio's hands tightened around his ax, and he ran forward, the blade raised above his head. Something glinted in Antonio's eyes, a kind of cold madness that no one had seen since his conquistador days...

"NO, DON'T HURT HIM!" Lili screamed as she clung to Antonio's arm. Antonio's head snapped around and he glared at the young nation, who flinched at the horrible, mad look in Antonio's eyes.

"Please...please Antonio, that's still Feliciano! Please, he can't help it! Please, if you kill him, he'll really die!" Lili said. Her voice pitched high, almost a scream. The ax in Antonio's hands trembled violently, almost as if he was considering throwing Lili off and attacking. Finally, he dropped it and instead turned to Feliciano himself. When the Spaniard spoke, his voice was low and cold, sending chills up Lili's spine.

"Take me to him. Now. Or you will die." Antonio said, almost a whisper.

Feliciano smiled.

"You have to get through us first." he replied. The Italian stepped forward, gently guiding the three children behind him. Alfred clung to the Italian's hand, and Matthew took a step ahead of his brother, his violet eyes narrowed as he stood protectively before his brother.

Arthur still stared blankly ahead, his green eyes dark as he watched the nations he loved and raised try to kill him.

"_Sancti!" _Feliciano cried out, his gold eyes flashing. Light and sound filled the area, though it was not as powerful as the combined attack. Antonio cried out, gritting his teeth as blood fell from the heavy wound on his chest. Antonio gasped in pain, but he simply pressed his olive hand to his chest, stifling the blood flow as he stood up again.

"Take me to him, NOW!" Antonio demanded once more. Feliciano narrowed his eyes, raising up his hand again.

"_Sancti."_

This time, it was not Antonio who the attack hit. Francis pushed his close friend out of the way, dropping to the ground as the holy light hit him. He could do nothing but grit his teeth together in pain. The nations felt so weak. Everything they had been through seemed to compound on them. It was as if every memory was a chain wrapped around them, pulling down...

Something flashed in Matthew's eyes, but he did not move. Alfred held his brother tighter as he watched, tears rolling down the child's face. Ivan's small hand tightened around the scythe he was holding, and he watched everything with wide, blank, innocent eyes.

"This isn't real..." Arthur whispered. The Brit attempted to stand up, but he was only able to get to his knees before collapsing back down. Blood dripped from the Brit's mouth, but he still smiled. It wasn't real. It just wasn't real. This was just all a dream. He would wake up in bed, and call Alfred and everything would be fine. It wasn't real. It wasn't real. He was smiling.

Matthew placed his rifle on his shoulder, his violet eyes narrowed. The Canadian boy had to protect his brother. He just had to. He wouldn't let anyone ever hurt his brother again.

Arthur was trying not to laugh. He was so, so stupid! This whole thing was a dream! He didn't almost kill Alfred. They weren't trying to hurt people. This was all not real, why did he not see it before? He would never hurt Alfred, or let him be hurt. Matthew would never go against them. This was just not real. He was such an idiot. He had to call Alfred and tell him all about this stupid dream later.

"Arthur, stop this!" Francis snapped. Arthur turned back to the Frenchman, and Francis flinched at the vulnerable hope in his eyes. Arthur wasn't alarmed at the urgency in the Frenchman's voice. He just smiled.

"Why? They're right there, Francis. This is all a dream; I can reach out and hold them again. This isn't real." Arthur replied. His eyes gleamed brightly, and Francis shook his head.

"No, Arthur, just stop! This IS real, don't let yourself get killed!" Francis's low voice pitched up a few octaves, climbing in panic. Arthur shook his head and kept smiling, taking a few steps forward.

Matthew narrowed his eyes.

"_Holy Retribution." _the boy whispered. Needles of ice pierced the Brit, and Alfred stumbled forward, his eyes wide in alarm. He didn't know why, but he didn't want Arthur to be hurt. He didn't, he couldn't let him get hurt! Matthew, though, pushed Alfred back, determined to protect his brother. Arthur hissed in pain as the needles hit him, but he took another step, hand outstretched.

"_WINTER!" _Ivan screamed, slashing his scythe through the air. The Russian boy was nearly in tears. He didn't know what was happening. He didn't know why people were yelling. All he wanted was for them to leave. He just wanted his sisters and he just wanted to be in his field of sunflowers and get away from all of this. He just wanted it all to stop!

"Just stop...please..." Ivan whispered.

"B-Brother!" Natalya cried out, her eyes wide and her hand outstretched. Alfred's eyes fell on her, and he couldn't move.

Tears ran down Ivan's face.

"WINTER!" Ivan screamed again.

Natalya shut her eyes.

* * *

><p>Lovino sat by the Holy Roman Empire's side, his green eyes blank as he watched light filter through the stained-glass windows. The entire hall was covered in the windows. Each one stretched several feet tall, and each one displayed one of the twelve disciples, including Judas, the betrayer. Mary's eyes shone from her place above the doorway, holding the Holy infant in her arms.<p>

Lovino got to his feet, and his pure robes fell down his body, ending at his feet. His dark green eyes swept the hall, until they landed on the Holy One, the Holy Roman Empire.

The Empire tilted his head, his blue eyes staring ahead. He regarded Lovino with a disinterested air, and instead focused on the windows.

"You promised." Lovino said. Ludwig did not reply, so Lovino continued.

"You promised to come back. You promised him that you would always protect him. You promised, Ludwig. And he promised to make you sweets and never forget you. You made a pact together. Whenever one of you is in trouble, the other would come to rescue him."

Ludwig did not say a word. Lovino clutched the golden rosary in his hands.

"You promised."

* * *

><p>Light and sound suddenly crashed over them. A shield of light appeared, protecting the real nations. Feliciano blinked.<p>

The illusion was gone.

Alfred stood, in his true form, dying, but whole. One arm around his waist, stained with blood. Alfred's body was disintegrating, data leaking from his body like blood.

But…his hands were outstretched, and the pocketwatch was cracked and dead.

And he smiled.

"Don't hurt them...I'm the hero, I have to protect them!"

* * *

><p>Ivan's tiny hands trembled, large tears rolling down his cheeks, gasping for breath. He was so scared, so, so scared, and so confused. None of this made any sense...why, why did this have to happen? Why were all these mean people trying to hurt him? Why was he so scared? Where were his sisters? Why wasn't Katsuyasha here? Why did everyone want to hurt him-?<p>

"Stand back." A younger boy with blonde hair and blue eyes whispered to him, one hand thrown out ahead, cupping a strange object. Ivan nodded, ducking behind the boy, his entire body still trembling violently. The boy was panting heavily, weak, and hardly able to move. The edges of his form seemed to dissolve, as if he would simply vanish before the Russian's eyes. His eyes were narrowed, focused ahead, determined to protect the innocent, and Ivan found himself trusting him. I-it was going to be okay, right? T-this boy would take him home, right?

It was then that soft voice began to whisper into the Russian's mind.

**_Error_****.**

**_Error._**

**_ErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorError ErrorErrorErrorErrorError._**

The same word was repeated over and over and over again in Ivan's head, in a soft, cold, emotionless voice. The small Russian boy let out a scream of fear, dropping the large scythe and clutching his head in his hands. What was happening?!

_'No...no, voices, oh no, please, I don't want to hurt anyone, not again! No!' _

A scream ripped from Ivan's throat, fear and pain all mixed into one horrifying sound. Maybe, maybe if he forced these mean people away, they would take the voices with them. M-maybe then, h-he could find his sunflower field again! Oh please, please, please, someone make it all go away!

"_Winter!" _Ivan screamed, slashing the scythe through the air. Alfred-eyes widening in horror when he saw what Ivan tried to do-cast a shield to try and stop it, but the clockwork-patterned spell shattered the second Ivan's attack touched it. The boy was too weak, barely able to keep his mind free. The attack sent him crashing to the ground, soft strings of numbers floating away from his tiny body. Ivan screamed again when he saw this, fear taking hold of his mind again, and he raised the scythe again. H-he didn't want to hurt his protector! W-why won't they just leave him alone? Why did everyone have to hurt? T-they should all just GO AWAY!

Ivan raised the scythe again, tears streaking down his cheeks, unable to do anything to stop himself...

"No, no, _Ivan! STOP!" _Francis screamed at the small Russian, scarlet eyes wide with terror. Around them, the world began to dissolve. Binary code unraveled, fading the edges of the infected nations. Matthew, who had stood, impassively watching, seemed to fade like a hologram, his entire body flickering in and out of sight. Unlike before, he seemed to be drained of emotion, violet eyes almost grey. He simply took aim again, eyes focusing on his brother's form, before flickering back to the real nations.

Feliciano's eyes narrowed and he clutched at the golden cross around his neck, backing away from the defeated nations. A strange look flickered across his eyes, one almost like sadness when he gazed at their fallen, weak bodies, but not quite. It was closer to fear. Where he walked, where they all walked, there was a path of nothingness, the world collapsing before them. None had the strength to stand, much less fight the virus destroying everything they loved.

Unstable. Unclean. Useless.

_Unholy._

**_ErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorErrorError._**

Kiku shut his eyes, and prepared to die.

* * *

><p>"You lied." Lovino said, clenching his fists. Before him, the Holy One tilted his head, regarding the Italian with little more than a passing gaze.<p>

"You LIED TO HIM! You told him that you LOVED HIM! YOU PROMISED THAT YOU WOULD TAKE CARE OF HIM! NOW HE'S DYING!" The words fell out of his lips in a torrent of barely contained fury. The peaceful light shining through the windows heightened in intensity, sending the very air itself into a hum of power.

The body of the Messiah was engulfed in white, his anguished expression shining more brilliantly, as if he was unable to bear the betrayal of the one who was committed to his holy name.

At his feet, the Holy Virgin Mary wept.

"I said no such thing." The Holy One replied; face indifferent to the anger before him. His blue eyes regarded the Italian without fear, and without even a touch of wrath. This only incensed Lovino further. The rosary around his neck glowed, and it took all of Lovino's self-control to not attack right then.

"YOU TOLD HIM YOU LOVED HIM! YOU LIED!" Lovino screamed at the Holy Empire. Unable to keep his self-control in check, the stained-glass windows shattered, falling in a waterfall of glass at their feet. Lovino ripped the cross from his neck, clutching it in his hands and holding it in front of his face.

"_ROSARIO IMPA-"_

Lovino's voice was cut off when he felt a katana pressed to his throat. Twisting his head to the side, he saw the Error, not looking at him, holding the Italian back. Lovino could not see his expression, but he somehow knew that it was not the sadistic one that the real nations would imagine.

"I'm sorry." The voice was barely a murmur, but it was enough.

Lovino glared at the Holy Empire, who regarded him with an almost amused expression.

"I think it's time we see our visitors outside, don't you, little priest?"

* * *

><p>"Don't tell me you gave up, rich boy?" Gilbert said, looking at the Austrian, who was pulling himself to his feet. In response, Roderich gave him a half-glare, before holding out his hand and helping the albino up.<p>

"I don't think you should be concerned with me for the moment, Gilbert." Roderich murmured, casting his gaze away. Gilbert's jaw tightened, his fists clenching as he looked ahead.

"It's not that far away...we're almost to him." Lili added, voice barely a whisper. Vash's head whirled around, and his eyes narrowed.

"No, I forbid you from going in there! I don't want to lose you!" he snapped. Lili planted her feet firmly on the ground, trying to hold her own.

"I'm strong too, brother! Just let me help!"

"No! I can't risk it!"

"This isn't about you! This is about helping everyone else! I-I'm strong too! I-I'm a nation too! I helped Ms. Natalya, so I can help you too! Do you think this is better? For me to lose my brother? For everyone to die because you let a long-range fighter stay out here and hope and _pray _that my brother returns? Brother, I need to come too! I need to, for once in my life, _do something!"_

Lili's voice, starting out soft and timid, ended strong and determined, like the young woman she was growing up to be.

"...Fine, but be careful." Vash replied, turning away.

Across from the Germanic countries, Arthur cradled Alfred in his arms, as if holding the American child tight enough would keep him safe. The boy flickered in and out like an old TV, his colour draining until he looked almost like a static picture.

"The virus has been in control too long...he can't stay stable like this." Kiku said, kneeling beside the Englishman. Arthur's head snapped up, and he glared at Kiku.

"You...this is your fault! Do something, or I will kill you, you _chink!" _Arthur snapped, voice burning with anger. Kiku flinched. The insult cut deep, but he kept calm. He could fix this...

"Let's move."

Looking up, the Englishman saw Natalya standing over him. Glaring, he shifted away, as if to protect Alfred from her.

"Not until he's okay."

"He's not going to get better until we go home. Now let's go."

Arthur's eyes narrowed further.

"I know you're a _psychopath _who doesn't care about anything but your _precious older brother,_ but some of us don't let others _die! You _might not care if Alfred dies, but _I DO!"_

With that, there was a sudden blur of motion, and Arthur was pulled to his feet by his collar, knife just inches from his face. Her hands shook, and her voice was savage with fury.

"_You have no idea what he means to Me."_ she snarled. "There is no chance left unless we take out the Error. If we just sit around here and _wait, everyone will die. MY _brother, _his _brother, the Italys, Ludwig, _and us. _So get your ass up and help us defeat him, _or there is no chance that any of us will live."_

Without a word, Arthur looked away. Natalya glared at him, eyes almost slits in anger.

"Pathetic. The Great British Empire, terror of the seven seas, can't save anyone he cares about. He can't put aside his sulking about his past to save the people he cares about _now._ Get your head OUT OF YOUR ASS and LOOK AROUND! If you would stop FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF FOR TEN SECONDS you would see that there are things worth _fighting for-!"_

_"CRUCIO!"_

Pain blinded the Belarusian momentarily. She fell to the ground, twisting and writhing in agony. Arthur stood, staring at her and shaking, Alfred still barely a shadow in his arms.

"STOP THIS, ARTHUR!" Francis snapped, grabbing the Englishman and glaring at him. With the eye contact gone, the spell was broken. Arthur blinked, looking at the Frenchman.

"Let's go. We can save him by stopping them. Let's just go."

Wordlessly, the Englishman nodded, still not looking anyone in the eye. Lili helped Natalya up, and the small group set off for the church.

In front of it, the Holy Roman Empire stood, the other infected nations flanking either side.

**_ErrorErrorError._**

The Empire smiled.

"Game over."

* * *

><p>AN

The final stretch!


End file.
